Hillsdale Mayor Doug Moon not seeking re-election

mdurr@hillsdale.netHILLSDALE — After just one term in office, Hillsdale Mayor Doug Moon has decided not to seek re-election, meaning a new mayor will be voted into office this November.

Calls and emails seeking comment from Moon went unreturned.

Moon will leave the seat he won in a closely contested race in 2009. Moon defeated opponent Tony Vear 443 votes to 425 votes after then-Mayor Michael Sessions decided not to seek re-election.

With Moon not running, the door is open for a new mayor, and so far only two candidates have thrown their names in the hat — Councilmen Scott Sessions (Michael's father) and Brian Watkins.

Any other candidates will have to win via write-in vote. The deadline to submit a petition to be on the ballot was Tuesday.

Watkins and Sessions have each served on city council since 2011 when they won seats in 1st Ward and 3rd Ward respectively. Neither of their terms as councilmen end until 2015.

Also of note, current council members Casey Sullivan (Ward 1) and Mary Wolfram (Ward 3) are not seeking re-election of their seats. Council members Ruth Brown (Ward 2) and William Arnold (Ward 4) are running for re-election, with Brown running unopposed and Arnold facing off against Patrick Flanery.

With Sullivan and Wolfram not running and Sessions and Watkins facing off for the mayor's seat, at least three new members of council could be elected, and as many as five.

Fourth Ward councilwoman Mary Beth Bail is running for the city clerk position despite not being up for re-election for her council seat until 2015.